Flash-light.



A. J. DUPONTL FLASH LIGHT. APPL'IGATIOQ FILED MAR. 19, 1914.

*1,18%,1?& Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

m I BY Q i A TTOR NE Y6.

UNITED sra'rnsrn'rnn'r OFFICE,"

ARTHUR J. DUIEONT, 0F ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLASH-LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16,1915.

Application filed March 19, 1914. Serial No. 825,812.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'An'rnon J. DUroN'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have in-.

vented a new and useful Flash-Light, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric illuminating devices or lamps known.

as flash-lights and more especially to improvements in the flash-light covered by .United States Letters Patent, No. 1,074,35-l,

mutilating the terminals with which said battery is originally tarnished, third, to afford convenient means for preventing accidental closing of the circuit to either lamp, as foizcxainple when the device is carried in the pocket, and the consequent waste of battery energy and needless activity of the lamps, and, fourth, to provide a convenient switch for one of the lamps, in addition to the finger switch therefor, by means. of which additional switch the lamp controlled thereby can be illuminated for a rolon ed' or an indefinite aeriod without the aid of the finger that is usually employed to produce such illumination.

No wires whatever are employed in this construction, which is an important and valuable feature, .wing to the work, trouble and expense involved in wiring devices of this kind and keeping tl'iem in repair.

' Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the following description.

I attain the-objects and secure the advan tages of my invention by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whi.chv i Figure 1 is av back side or rear elevation I ofii flash-light which. embodies a practical form ct my invention; Fig. 2, a front side or front elevaticn of said flash-light; F ig.

3, an approximately central vertical, section through the case, looking toward the front side; Fig. 4, an enlarged top plan or front end elevation of the interior parts as they would appear if the case at that end were cut away, the end lamp being represented by two dotted circles, since such lamp would be removed with such case end; Fig. 5, an enlarged fragmentary detail, in section, showing the auxiliary switch for the end lamp; Fig. 6, an enlarged bottom plan or inside view of said auxiliary terminal, and, Fig. 7, an enlarged back side elevation of the battery with the regular and auxiliary terminals or circuit-forming contact members.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a case 1 is provided for the reception of an ordinary dry battery 2, such case having a concave front side 3 to fit the back of the hand, but otherwise having, generally plain sides. By thus constructing the case l a special battery is not required, and said case is as adaptable to the hand as when the same is made concavo-convex. The case 1 15 provided with perforated lugs 4- on the side edges for a strap or band withwhich to attach said case to the hand, and said case is further provided with a bottom or rear-end cover 5. The cover 5 has its back side oredg'c hinged at 6 to the corresponding side of the case 1 at the bottom or rear end, and has a front lug 7 to snap into engagement with a protuberance 8 on the front side of said case near the bottom "or rear end of the same.

The battery 2, which has the us'ualpole pieces or terminals J and 10, is adapted to fit snugly within the case 1, without encrcacl'iingz," upon the little space required for to enabl, a. common form of battery to be used, and which is removed. from one battery to another whenever a change is made or a new battery substituted for an old one.

*The terminal 13 is merely a strip of metal having a pair of ears or lugs 14 at one end, and being provided with a set-screw 15. The terminal 13 is placed in position and secured by slipping it onto the terminal 10 at the free end of the latter, with the lugs 1 1 undersaid terminal 10, moving said terminal 13 along toward the attached. end of said terminal 10 as far as possible, and then tightening the set-screw 15 onto said termiml 10. The set-screw 15 is tapped into the terminal 13 and passes through to engage that part of the terminal 10 which is in the grasp of the lugs 14. The terminal 13 is so bent that its free end stands clear of the terminal 10. The auxiliary terminal is released and removed from the terminal l0by simply loosening the set-screw 15 and withdrawing said auxiliary terminal.

The lamp' 11 is set in the upper or front end of the case 1, and over this is a bullseye 16, while the lamp 12 is' set in the back of said case near the aforesaid end and behind a bulls-eye 17. These lamps are of ordinary construction and similar to eachother. The bulls-eyes 16 and 17 are similar to each other except in color, the bulls-eye 17 being preferably red, and the bulls-eye 16 preferably clear or without color. The lamp 11 is for ordinary or general use and may be termed the observation lamp, while the other lamp is designed for signaling and may be termed the signal lamp.

Fastened at 18 to the front side 3 ofthe case 1 are two switch levers 1 9 and 20. Each of said levers is offset forwardly, as best shown at 21 in Figs. 2 and 4, and this offset part passes out of the case 1 through an opening 22 in the front 3 just within the upper or front end of said case. The free terminals of the levers 19 and 20 are in the form of Ts, as represented at 23. By thus extending and forwardly olfsetting the free ends of the levers.19 and 20, they are pre-' sented to better advantage for operation by the fingers. These switch levers are made of resilient metal which is a good conductor of electricity, as are the other circuit-forming or contacting members employed in this flash-light. The interior portions of the levers 19 and 20 normally bear against the inner face of the front side 3, but may be actuated rearwardly or inwardly except at the points 18 where they are fastened to said side.

The switchlever 19 has a contact finger 24 that extends therefrom. into the vicinity of the case terminal of the lamp 11 and is capable of contacting therewith when said lever is pressed rearwardly or inwardly, normally, however, said finger is out of contact withv said case terminal, owing to the arrangement and resilient nature of said lever, The switch lever 20 has a contact finger 2-5 which extends therefrom into the terminal of the lamp 11.,

Fastened at 27 against the inside of the back of the case 1 is a spring switch 28, which normally lies against said back, for approximately the entire length of said switch, and causes a button 29 carried thereby and operating through an opening 30 in said back to-protrude from said opening outside of the case. At the base of the switch 28 is a finger 31 that is within contacting distance of the case terminalof the lamp 11. A slide 32 is arranged in guides 33 on the outside of the case adjacent to the button 29,

and the latter is actuated inwardly, to cause the switch 28 to contact through the medium of the finger 31 with the case terminal of the lamp 11, and retained in that position, by pushing the slide 32 upwardly or forwardly-in the guides 33 over the protrud-' ing end of said button. Upon retracting the slide 32 to free the button 29, the contact made by the switch 28 with the lamp 11 is immediately broken, owing to the resiliency of said switch. This is the auxiliary switch for the observation lamp, and is used when it is desired to have said lamp burn continuously, and to leave free the finger or fingers that otherwise would have to be employed to keep the lamp burning through the medium of the switch lever 19. I

A safety or master switch is'provided to conserve the energy of the battery and lamps, as hereinbefore noted, such switch appearing at 34 and being fastened at 35 to the inside of the edge of the case 1 adjacent to whichthe lamp 12 is located. Like the auxiliary switch ;28,--the switch 3 1 is resilient, and has a button 36 that operates in an opening 37 in the adjacent edge of the case, and protrudes from said opening on I the outside of said case. A slide 38 in guides 39 is provided for the button 36, such slide being similar to the slide 32 and functioning in the same manner.

WVhen the battery 2 is inserted in the easel, care must be exercised that the ter minal 9 comes adjacent to the switch 34, but said terminal will not then contact with said switch unless the slide 38 be pushed over the button 36, or said button and switch be forced inwardly by some other means. When the battery is in place, the terminal 10 contacts with the case terminal of the lamp 12, and the terminal 13 contacts with the terminal 40 of the lamp 11, i To operate the flash-light, it is always necessary first to close the master switch 34, by forcing the slide 38 over the outer end of the button 36, which action causes the bottom part of said switch to bear hard against the battery terminal 9. With the switch 3 1 closed, the lamp 11 is lighted either by pressing inwardly the switch lever 39, or by closing the switch The switch is closed by forcing the slide 32 over the outer end of the button 29, which action causes the finger 31 at the bottom of said switch. to bear hard against the case terminal of the lamp 11. hen the switch lever 19 is pressed inwardly, the'finger 2% is :lorced into contact with the case terminal the lamp 11, and the now complete circuit is through the battery terminals 9 and 13, the switches 28 and 19, the case 1, and

the .lan'n -case terminal and the terminal 40. When the switch 28 is closed, the circuit thus completed is through the same memhers before, except that said switch takes the place of the lever 19 The instant either the lever 19 or the switch 28 is released, the latter by withdrawing the slide 32 from the button 31, thelight in the lamp 1.1 is en tinguished. If desired, the lamp 1.1 left burning while the lamp 12 is the master switch 84 be still-closed, by pressing the switch lever 20, to force its finger into contact vith the lamp terminal 26, and said .lamp'is extinguished as soon as said level is released. The circuit closed by the lever 20, when pressed inwardly, is made up of the battery terminals 9 and 10, the switches 34:and 20', the case 1, and the case terminal of the lamp 12 and the terminal 26,

this and the other circuits being, of course, from and to the battery 2. When through using the flash-light, both lamps should be out out by releasing the button 36 from the slide 28, and thus breaking the contact between the switch 34 and the terminal 9, and entirely disconnecting from the case 1 one pole of the battery 2. No circuits can be completed while one pole of the battery is disconnected. The reason for disconnecting the battery when the device is not inuse has already .been given. The flash-light is worn on the hand and operated, through the medium of the switch levers, by the fingers,

in the same manner as is fully explained in the hereinbefore referred to patent. Both lamps may belighted at the same time by means of the levers 19 and 20. More or less change in theshape, size, arrangement, and construction of the flashlight and its parts may be made without-departing from the nature of my invention.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a flash-light attachable to the back of the hand,and comprising a case-having a concave front and a flat back, and provided with illuminating means, switch members in said case, and a parallel-sided battery in sald case.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a flash-light attachable to the back of the hand, and comprising a case provided with a lamp, and further provided with a switch member for such lamp, such switch member extending out of the case and having a substantially [lat fingrw-migagiug part at its free end, and being, furthermore, ollset torwardly to bring said part into operative position behind the fingers of 'such hand when the device is-in place.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, a flash-light attachable to the backof the hand,'anr l co'mg'lrising a case provided T-shaped at their outer terminals, whereby each of siich terminals is capable of being engaged. by two or-more fingers.

5. The combination, in a flash-light, with a case provided with a plurality of lamps, of a battery having three terminal pieces, two of which form one pole contacting with said lamps switch levers for said lamps, and a switch arranged to make and break contact with the battery terminal piece from the other pole.

,6. The combination, in a flash-light, with a case provided with a plurality of lamps, of

a battery having three terminal picces two of which from one pole contacting with said lamps, switch levers for said lamps, and circuit-forming means, independent of said switch levers, between'said case and the battery terminal piece from the other pole, one of said first-mentioned terminal pieces and one of said switch levers contacting respectively with the peripheral terminal and the central terminal of one lamp, and the other or" said first-mentioned terminal pieces and .the other of said levers contacting respectively with the central terminal and the peripheral terminal of the other lamp.

7. The combination, in a flash-light, with a case provided with illuminating means, of a battery having three terminal pieces, one

, of such terminal pieces being detachable, and

circuit-forming and switch members between said battery and said illuminating means and for the control of the latter.

8. The combination, in a flashdight, with a case provided with illuminating means, of

avbattery having two fixed terminal pieces, a

third terminal piece attachable to and detachablefrom one of said fixed terminal pieces, and circuit-forming and switch members between said battery and said illuminating means and for the control of the latter. I p

9. vThe combination, in a flash-light, of a case adapted to be attached [tbfthe back ,of the hand, and provided with a lamp, a battery in such case, circuit-forming members between said battery and said lamp, a switch for opening and closing the circuit, such switch having a part that extends into 0perative position behind a finger of such hand, when the device is in place, and a second switch for onening and closing said circuit.

10. The combination, in a fiash light, of a case adapted to be attached to the back of the hand, and lamps, a battery in such case, circultrforms ing members between said battery and said lamps, a master switch in said circuit, switches in said circuits for said lamps, said last-mentioned switches] having parts that extend into operative position behind the-fin: gers of said hand, when the device is in place, and an auxiliary switch in said circuit for one of said lamps.

ARTHUR J. DUPONT. a 5. Witnesses GUY CRosIN, FRANK HANLON.

provided with a. pair 

